Underdog
by Noorah
Summary: K/N songfic to the Jonas Brother's song, Underdog. I don't own Kel and Neal. If I did, they'd be together by now!


**A/N:** I got sidetracked while working on my drabble story, Kel and Neal Drabbles, and took a break to listen to some old school Jonas Brothers! I know, I lead an exciting life! I had Underdog playing on my shuffle, and like halfway through, I realized that this song portrays Kel perfectly! Obviously, I had to seize my plot bunny by the ears and stuff him into my computer to share with everyone! This features a very Girlpower!Neal and a Icandoanything!Kel, so that's your warning! It actually goes a little farther than stolen kisses and quiet love, in a very married and giving birth kind of way! I'm proud to say that this story is over 1.800 words long, making it by far the longest one shot I have ever done! It gets super cheesy at the end, so I may go back over it.. Tell me what you think!

Enjoy!

_She's an underdog  
Lives next door to me  
She's always heard you won't amount to anything  
And it kills me to watch the agony beyond her eyes  
Tragic the way people pass her by  
But now I realize_

Neal, like the rest of the boys in the page's wing, couldn't help but peer questioningly at the girl that stood by the door at the end of the hall. She looked harmless enough, but for once, Neal took his father's words to heart, 'Looks can be deceiving, Neal. Don't judge people before you get to know them.' His father always told him. The boy looked around when Lord Wyldon asked for a sponsor for her and took a step forward, clearing his throat before speaking up. Later that evening, while they made their way to dinner, she spoke and he replied simply, "I know women can be warriors." Their eyes met squarely and he noted the passion and desire to prove everyone wrong, to prove his statement true. He smiled down at her and turned to stride down the hall, the lady page following him, a determined smile on her face.

_That everyone sees her  
But nobody knows her  
She screams in her pillow  
For a better tomorrow  
She hates it  
But she takes it  
Watch out for that girl  
One day she may change the world_

"I hate it here, Neal!" it was during the summer between their third and fourth years when Kel finally exploded. She threw her pillow at the wall and sunk down on her bed, gripping the blanket in white knuckled fists. He gently pried her hands from her covers and took a seat next to her, absently playing with her fingers as he listened. "I know most of them that don't like me are gone, but Joren just gets under my skin with all his horrible remarks. I know I shouldn't care about what he says, but it just makes me so angry!" She fumed, leaning against Neal's shoulder with a sigh, watching him bend her fingers back and forth. "All I want is to prove them wrong, prove that women are warriors, and prove that I am as good as the boys. I want other girls to become knights; I want them to see that can be just as strong." Neal turned to face her with a shake of his head and a wry smile.

"Kel, you've proved so much more to those of us who know you. Your first day here, you taught me that even an eleven year old can be determined enough for the both of us." He squeezed her shoulders gently and stood, making his way to the door, tossing her pillow back to her. "You're proving that you're a warrior to many people, but you've already proved it to your friends." With that and a shrug, he vanished out her door, a cheery tune following the lanky page as he left his friend in thought.

_She's original  
Never trying to fit in  
She's got a way to always go  
Against the grain  
Oh yea!  
Someday they'll see how beautiful she really is  
I know that last will be the first  
The tables gonna turn cause..._

Kel finished drying off and opened her clothespress, pulling a slightly wrinkled, pale grey and violet gown from its depths. She smoothed the worst wrinkles from the fabric and pulled it on over her head, tugging gently until it hung right on her frame. She slid her slippers onto her feet and shoved her dirty practice clothes into the hamper, passing Lalasa on her way out of her room. She was already in the mess when Neal arrived and placed himself beside her, a low whistle of appreciation greeting her ears. "Mithros! You haven't worn a dress in ages, Kel!" He commented. When she tried to reply, he covered her mouth with one hand and leaned forward to whisper, "I think you look positively lovely."

_That everyone sees her  
But nobody knows her  
She screams in her pillow  
For a better tomorrow  
She hates it  
But she fakes it  
Watch out for that girl  
One day she may change the world_

"Are you okay?" Neal asked softly, stretching out on the ground beside her and draping an arm across her stomach. "You're worrying about something more than just your people, Kel. I can tell." He waited for a few moments, letting her gather her thoughts before he pressed on. "Would you like to talk about it? It may help a bit." He smiled when she turned to look at him, biting her lip as she glanced up at the sky.

"It's Dom." She murmured softly, picking Neal's arm up from where it draped across her stomach and bending his fingers one at a time. He stiffened slightly when she mentioned his cousin's name, but relaxed and didn't comment. "He likes me, I can tell." She continued softly, meeting Neal's eyes for a moment before going back to her mindless toying with his fingers. "I think I gave him the wrong signals, Neal. I don't want to court with him." she started drawing patterns on the back of his hand with her pointer finger, eyes focused on the gate where Merric was currently mounting his horse. Neal pulled her up with him as he sat up and smiled at her, tugging her into a hug.

"Just tell him, then. He won't hate you if you're honest with him now instead of later." He pulled away to smile down at her. "I promise. He's too nice of a guy and he values your friendship too much. Just explain to him what you told me. It'll be fine." With that, he stretched out, smiling and wrapping an arm around Kel as she joined him in his contemplation of the evening sky.

_Maybe she'll be in a movie  
Maybe she'll be in a song  
Better pay her some attention  
Before she's gone  
She's an underdog  
Yea  
She means the world to me  
Yea_

"Neal!" The man in question turned around when his name was shouted, only to have a woman he knew all too well attach herself to him in a tight hug. "You arrived before me for once? Gods, it's nice to see you! How have you been? You are stationed at the fort on the Gallan border, yes? Merric said in his last letter you were, but I didn't know for sure. Lord Raoul hasn't had any new information for me where we a-" He clamped a hand over her uncharacteristically chatty mouth and smiled at her muffled attempts at speaking. He removed his hand and pulled her into a tight hug, pressing a kiss to her temple before pulling away to study her.

"I'm alright. I've missed you a bit..." Stealing a furtive glance around them, he leaned forward to kiss her gently, pulling away to smile down at her. "Actually, I've missed you like mad, but let's not tell the men that, alright?" she grinned up at him and slipped a hand into his with a small nod. "I'm glad that you're back and safe, Kel. Life isn't the same without you telling me to eat my vegetables."

_Everyone sees her  
But nobody knows her  
She screams in her pillow  
For a better tomorrow  
She hates it  
But she makes it  
Watch out for that girl  
One day she may change the world_

"It's a girl!" Neal cried to the room of worried Knights, soldiers, family members and various other palace workers. There was a loud cheer before Neal shushed them, looking sheepish. "Actually, it's two of them…" the cheer came again, louder this time, Merric and Cleon whistling shrilly at the turn in events. He turned back to the room and accepted the two small pink bundles, turning back to the room, grinning as it hushed swiftly. "I'd like you to meet Jesmin and Madelyn of Queenscove." He stared down at the two girls for a moment before throwing a glance over his shoulder, catching a tired Kel's eye. He passed Jesmin to Kel's mother and Madelyn to his own before turning back to enter the room. He took a seat on the edge of Kel's bed and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "First a Lady Page, then Squire, then a Knight and now a mother of twin girls. What can you not do, Kel?" he brushed hair from her eyes and gave her a soft sleeping suggestion through his magic, smiling tenderly down at her peaceful smile as she drifted into a deep sleep. "Thank you." He whispered, kissing her temple before standing to accept his daughters from his father. He kissed both babies on the forehead and murmured, "That's your mama. She's the most amazing person I know."

_Everyone sees her  
But nobody knows her  
She screams in her pillow  
For a better tomorrow  
She hates it  
But she makes it  
Watch out for that girl  
One day she may change the world_

It was just like what had happened to their parents, Madelyn's ordeal was on the first night of midwinter, Jesmin's on the very last. Those were the proudest two moments of both Kel and Neal's lives, presenting the distinct shield of Queenscove, with a slightly different border. Like the one that their mother had, both Jes and Lyn's shields bore a distaff border, the first two since their mother's, nearly 32 years previously. She watched the two mingle with their friends on the last night of midwinter, after Jes' knighting and smiled up at Neal as he joined her. "I was right, Kel." He commented. "That very first day I met you, I knew that you would change the world." He leaned down to kiss her temple, clasping his hand around hers. "You did. And on the way to doing that, you and our daughters proved that girls can do anything they set their minds too."


End file.
